Doug Lidster to join Canucks as assistant coach

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun07.07.2014

Doug Lidster, an assistant coach for the AHL’s Texas Stars and a former assistant coach for the Canadian women’s hockey team, will join the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant coach to new bench boss Willie Desjardins.

Lidster, 53, played nine full seasons with the Canucks from 1984-1993 but was with the New York Rangers in 1994 when they beat the Canucks in the Stanley Cup final.

A native of Kamloops, Lidster spent the last two seasons as Desjardins’ assistant with the Texas Stars of the American League. The Stars won the AHL championship last month.

With Glen Gulutzan apparently staying on, it appears the Canucks coaching staff is now complete. Goalie coach Rollie Melanson and video coach Darryl Williams, along with Gulutzan, were retained when John Tortorella and Mike Sullivan were sent packing.

“That’s what’s going to happen, I’m going to be an assistant coach,” Lidster said Monday hours before the appointment was made official. “I arrived in Vancouver about two hours ago with my wife and we are looking to find a place to live.”

Lidster expects to be in charge of the defence but added that defined roles under Desjardins have yet to be determined.

“We haven’t actually nailed down the specific roles and how it’s going to work,” said Lidster. “I haven’t talked to Glen yet. That’s one of the things we’re going to talk about this week. It’s funny. When you’re in the American League, there are only two coaches and you have to jump around and do all kinds of roles but I have worked with the defence.”

Lidster was drafted by the Canucks 133rd overall in 1980 but didn’t join the team until after the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo where he played for Canada. He won a second Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.

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Doug Lidster to join Canucks as assistant coach

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